Deus Ex Machina
by NightChild16
Summary: Aricia, Daughter of Hera has been claimed by her mother at last and right in time to help the others make their way to Camp Jupiter. But will her Roman counterpart Carynn be willing to help the Greeks and Romans in their shaky alliance against the Giants
1. Aricia

Aricia Beauregard was busy running the blade of her magical sword _Atrophos _over a whetstone on the steps of the Big House's porch. With every run sparks flew from the sides of the honing tool, and every so often seared Aricia's pale white arms. At her side, Herakles, her pet peacock was pecking at the ground. He'd been a gift a month earlier from her mother, Hera and the self righteous bird was only now braving the Camp grounds beyond the walls of Cabin 2.

"_Squack!"_ Herakles protested loudly when he ventured too close to the sparking whetstone. His multicolored plume of feathers puffed out and he waddled away in annoyance. "_Caw!"_ He shouted over his shoulder, like a last insult.

"I told you not to come too close." Aricia chastised while she examined her progress and twirled the blade in the beams of the mid-morning sunlight. "And don't wander in to the stables like yesterday, you know the pegasi don't like you."

The door to the Big House slammed shut followed by heavy footsteps from a black set of combat boots. That was followed by the almost silent padding of paws as a Hecate daemon companion slinked her way past Aricia. The shadow cat caused an involuntary shiver to crawl down the Daughter of Hera's spine. When she looked up Aricia met the bright gold eyes of Celeste Helsingr, Daughter of Hecate.

Celeste was a year older than Aricia with long, dark red hair that was nearly crimson in color. She was Councilor of Cabin 20 above only three other kids; Lou Ellen, Summer Alden, and Peter McKnight. All four of them owned animal companions made completely from morphing shadows that reflected their personalities and gave everyone else the creeps, especially when they spoke.

"What are you doing out here Calf?" Celeste asked, using the nickname almost everyone had called Aricia since she'd arrived at Camp Half Blood. "Shouldn't be over in the archery field already?"

"Shouldn't you?" Aricia responded. "_Atrophos_!" She hissed, forcing her freshly sharpened weapon to revert to its original, inconspicuous form of a small silver peacock feather. The Daughter of Hera grinned up at her friend. They usually had archery at the same time on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but Aricia's schedule was altered for today. "As for me, I gave up my archery spot to Clarisse to bring her over to our side for Capture the Flag tomorrow night."

"Good idea, I was going to send Senka to scare the Aphrodite over in 10 to side with us. But knowing them, only three or four will fight and that includes Piper and Britani." Celeste sat down and allowed her daemon to weave in and out of her legs. "Even so, that would be Cabins 1, 2, 5, 10, 14 and 20. The Isis kids told me earlier they'll play."

"That's probably as good as we'll get." Aricia admitted and wrinkled her nose while she watched Senka morph from housecat to lynx in bone chilling matter of seconds. "So, you never answered me; what are you doing inside the Big House?"

"Oh, that." Celeste's tone darkened. "I was _hoping_ I could convince Chiron to allow my cabin to order some magical herbs, but he said it wasn't 'in the budget' this month. I think he's just afraid we Hecate just want to give you all potions that will turn you into frogs or something."

It was hard for Aricia not to laugh, and even harder not to agree with Chiron out loud. Though they were more the most part, nice enough, there was just something undeniably and unsettlingly _creepy_ about the Hecate kids as a whole. They barely slept; Celeste always seemed to have dark purple circles under her eyes. They also loved playing pranks, which were always ten times more intense than other camper's due to the fact that Cabin 20ers had _real_ magic on their side. Once Aricia had witnessed Lou Ellen steal one of Demeter kid's noses right off her face. The Daughter of Hera couldn't judge though, ever since her true birthmother had been publically declared, she was treated like an anomaly too.

Celeste stood up and nudge Aricia with the toe of one of her black combat boots. "C'mon Calf, let's head to see how Leo is doing on the ship." Her eyes flickered uncertainly. "I mean…you're going next week with Leo, Piper and your brother right?"

"_Step _brother." Aricia snipped out of habit. "You don't see us sitting together at dinner, do you?" She continued a bit bitter. "I love Jason, but you won't be seeing us in any family Christmas cards Zeus or Hera send out this year."

The statement made Celeste snort with laughter. "I don't think there's a camera lens big enough to fit the entire family. We'd all look like tiny specks in orange shirts if you tried." The older girl traced the toe of her boot in the dirt into the shapes of weird glyphs that Aricia half expected to glow bright green or something. "Anyway let's go."

Aricia stood up and clipped her peacock pendant back on to the silver chain around her neck. Her eyes scanned the horizon for Herakles, but the peacock had disappeared somewhere, probably the stables again to harass the horses. Senka bonded off the steps of the Big House and ran a few paces before her bond to Celeste forbid her to put anymore distance between daemon and mistress. She hissed impatiently until Celeste started to walk.

Beside the flying ship Leo was covered head to toe in a thick black substance Aricia could not distinguish from oil, grease or sweat. There was also the overpowering aroma of hot sauce floating through the air. Piper was busy searching through a toolbox while Jason was looking over a schematic with Annabeth. Aricia smiled wide and waved when Piper's ever changing eyes caught her bright indigo ones.

"Hey! Ari! Celeste!" She wiped her filthy hands on her equally dirty jeans and sprinted towards the two older girls. "Everything is right on schedule, we should be ready to test launch tomorrow night!" Her tan face was glowing with excitement. "Right after we beat Leo and Annabeth over here at Capture the Flag of course." She grinned.

"_Hey, no bueno chica bonita_." Leo remarked. "Don't forget, I've got like, an entire armory in my belt!" He lovingly patted his magic tool belt. He looked over and winked at Annabeth who just rolled her eyes. He chuckled and looked back to Piper and the others. "So, what can I do for you ladies?"

"Came to see how it was going." Aricia answered and stepped around her former cabin-mate. "And if you needed any of our help, but it looks like you got it all covered." She looked over to her half-brother and nodded in acknowledgment. He'd stood up for her last month when Hera had publicly claimed her, but it hadn't exactly made them close. Her relationship was even rockier with Thalia, who had even attempted to assassinate Aricia on the orders of their father a few years back. "C'mon Leo, Annabeth can't I persuade you guys to join Blue Team tonight?"

Leo laughed and gave Aricia a 'thumbs up'. "Only if you agree to gimme a big smooch _chica_." He playfully puckered his lips. "And then protect me before your boyfriend kicks my butt!"

"That's a no then." Aricia remarked with a wicked grin. "Annabeth?"

"Nah, I like the competition. We'd smash Red way too easily if Athena joined Blue." Annabeth folded up the blueprints into a neat square small enough to tuck in her back pocket.

Piper squirmed back next to Aricia and asked, "So, do you miss the cabin yet? You need to come visit you know, a lot of 10ers miss you, not just me and Britani."

"How is Cabin 10 now that you're in charge? I saw a few more Aphrodite kids than usual on the training field this morning, some of them girls but mostly the guys."

"It's a slow process, but they're slowly adjusting to the idea." Piper admitted. "It'll be a long while until you see _all_ the Aphrodite out here, and a cold day in Hades if Drew ever does anything remotely heroic. At least she isn't trying to openly raise a coup against me anymore." Piper knelt down and rubbed Senka's shadowy fur. Being half Native American, she'd grown up with dozens of stories about spirit animals.

_"Thankssssss." _Senka hissed in the whispery voice of hers that faded in and out like wind. "_Feelssss good."_

Again, involuntarily Aricia shivered. The thing just creped her out more than her Uncle Hades and her dark cousins did. Once, one of Celeste's sibling's daemons had passed right through her as if she wasn't even solid. It'd been enough to make her throw up and never want a repeat experience.

"I'm going to head back to my Cabin and get cleaned up before dinner, see you guys later."

Aricia announced and turned on her heels. She kept a steady jog as she made her way across camp and flung open the door of Cabin 2. Herakles was back, lounging lazily in from of the fire at Hera's altar. The Daughter of Hera hesitatingly picked up a gold drachma and twirled it between her fingers. Things would soon be pretty complicated if her plan was discovered once the Greek demigods reached Camp Jupiter.

Four years ago, when Hera had admitted to Zeus that Aricia was in fact his daughter too and not just the product of pathogenesis as originally thought, Aricia had briefly been a Goddess in her own right. But back then, she hadn't wanted the title, only to stay with Silena in Cabin 10 and be like the other demigods. After Silena's death last year, Aricia had disappeared from the camp for three months, after first hearing the Second Great Prophecy. There, she'd worked tirelessly until she had completely split herself, into her Roman half, like the other Olympians. If Gods and demigods were supposed to work together to win this war, she'd be a goddess here, and her Roman half on the West coast. Thus her 'twin' sister Carynn had been 'born'.

Finally coming to a decision, Aricia tossed the drachma in to the rainbow Hera's altar fire and a squirt bottle created. "Carynn,, Barracks of the First Cohort at Camp Jupiter." She waited until an almost identical face appeared in the Iris message. "Hey sis."

"Aricia, a pleasure as always." Carynn responded evenly. "The Son of Neptune has arrived, just like Mother said he would."


	2. Carynn

Carynn Aurum, Daughter of Juno swung her legs off the edge of her bunk in the First Cohort's barracks. Her long dark brown hair was swept up off her neck in a single braid that ran straight down the back of her purple shirt. On her arm the dark ink of her tattoo was glaringly apparent against the contrast of her pale white arms. It read: SPQR above five straight lines with her mother's symbol, a pomergrate flower was a straight vertical line passing through about three-fourths down the stem. Carynn drummed her fingers impatienly on her knees. "When is that _graecus_ going to send a message?" She wondered aloud.

"Legatis Aurum!" A familiar voice shouted, followed by the door to the barracks swinging shut with a loud _BANG!_

"_Praesto!"_ Carynn leapt to her feet and gave the typical Roman style salute; hitting the center of her chest with her right fist before snapping the arm straight out in front of her.

Reyna nodded and Carynn let her shoulders loosen up a bit. Juno had claimed her five years ago, quite a bit before her Greek counterpart Aricia had been pubically announced. Of course, Jupiter had no idea Carynn even existed, which made it all the safer for her to live among the Roman demigods openly as the Daughter of Juno. About a month ago, Aricia had sworn on Styx that Carynn would eventually be revealed to Jupiter, but so far there had been nothing.

When Jason Grace, her half-brother had disappeared six months previous Carynn had been almost positive that Jupiter would discover her existance. After all, his son had known for the last five years about her and nothing catastrophic had happened. Sure, they had butt heads plently of times, all the while blaming the other's immortal parent for their child's impossible stubborness.

"The Feast of Fortuna is soon upon us Legatis, and Mars gives ill tidings. I had wondered if when your mother appeared to us with the Son of Neptune, if she had entrusted you with any additional information on the enemy that we'll be facing."

"_Nil Praetor,_ nothing Praetor." Carynn admitted. In truth, she had hoped Aricia had news for her, sometihng maybe Juno had told one daughter and not the other for some reason. "But I'll alert you immediately if I learn anything."

"Thank you." Reyna was dressed in her royal purple toga from the senate meeting still, her dark hair loose down her back. "What happened at the War Games tonight…." The Daughter of Bellona murmured. "I'm curious about this Son of Neptune…"

"The new member of the Fifth Cohort?" Carynn asked. "Why should you be worried about him?"

"I did not say _worried_, I said I was _curious._" Reyna responded with a hint of irritation in her tone. "I swear that I have met him before, a long time ago." Her dark eyes trailed down to the four lines of her tattoo. "I just have no clue where."

"My guess? Probably some kind of aquarium." Carynn grinned. "Mr. Water Cannons probably was probably the weird kid talking politics to the dolphins."

It was enough to make Reyna crack a smile. "Yeah, probably. But I have to go now, just want to check in and see if there was any news."

The two girls stood up and saluted one another before Reyna left the barracks, leaving Carynn alone once more. Just in time, because she probably wouldn't have been able to explain the giant rainbow that had suddenly appeared over her bed.

_You have a collected Iris Message from: Aricia Beauregard. Do you accept?_

"Yes." Carynn answered. _'It's about time!'_ She thought to herself. After a few moments the rainbow began to shimmer until a striking pair of bright indigo eyes appeared. As the rest of Aricia's face took form Carynn smiled despite herself.

"Hey sis." Aricia said once she was completely in focus.

"Aricia, a pleasure as always." Carynn responded. "The Son of Neptune has arrived, just as Mother said he would."

"Thank the Gods he _is_ alive." Aricia said with relief. "Now at least Annabeth can have some peace of mind. Any news updates from Mother?"

Carynn furrowed her brow. "_Nil_, I had hoped _you_ knew something."

Aricia shook her head in disappointment. "Then we're both in the dark for now. Good news though, Leo Valdez swears the ship will be ready to test in a matter of days, and make the journey in as little as a week." Her face glowed, making her purplish eyes light up with excitement.

For her part though, Carynn was less than thrilled at the though of the Greeks and Romans uniting under a single banner. It was bound to cause problems, and her and Aricia together would be like sending up a giant '_Hey Dad! Look there are TWO of us now!'_ in bright neon lights on the Vegas strip. She smiled though, for Aricia's sake. "I'll watch the skies for the next few days." She promised.

In the distance on Aricia's end of the Iris message there was some coherent yelling that made her head turn. "I need to go, they need my help." She looked back at Carynn. "Be safe sis, hopefully I'll see you in a week."

"Bye." Carynn watched as the Iris message abruptly ended. Once it was completely closed she violently slammed her fist against the nearest wall. "You're going to ruin _everything_ you foolish _graecus_. The moment you and your friends touch down on Roman soil there will be blood."

Carynn had enjoyed her five years at Camp Jupiter, flourished even. She enjoyed a bit of an awe factor and celebrity status for being Juno's sole demigod. After her ten years in the Legion were over she planned to stay on. _Evocati _made good pay, enough to support a family even. The conch shell blew somewhere off in the distance to singal dinner. The Daughter of Juno left the barracks and started on the brisk walk to meet with the rest of her Cohort.

By the time Carynn sat down on one of the couches her stomach was gnawing with impatience. She dipped her hands in to the platter of grapes it is came her way and popped them one by one in to her mouth. One of the spirits arrived at her side with a large slice of extra cheese pizza. She folded it in half and licked the grease of the end before taking a massive bite. It was delicious.

Someone took a seat on the couch beside her and chuckled. "That's how the New Yorkers do it, right?"

Carynn swallowed and wiped her mouth with the back of one of her hands before responding. "Who do you think taught the pizza eaters of New York the true way to enjoy pizza? The Italians."

The boy beside her, Titus was a robust Son of Vulcan with hands that could crush her skull was a centurion from the Second Cohort. He had bronze skin, hands hardened from years of swinging an anvil at the forge. His hair was cropped short and sandy in color, and his eyes dark green. "Good point." He watched her take another bite and started to work on his bacon cheeseburger.

Eyes trailing to the Fifth Cohort's couches, Carynn kept a close eye on Percy Jackson. He was like her twin sister decribed, though he looked like he had gain a lot of muscle after his time in the Wolf House with Lupa. His camp was probably going crazy without him, just like everyone here had lost it when Jason had suddenly disappeared.

"Legatus Aurum, a word if I may."

Carynn's eyes flickered upward his settled loathingly on Octavian's smug face. Titus gave her a sidelong glance, clearly just as unhappy as she was to be 'graced' by Octavian's sudden appearance. "I'll talk to you later Titus." She said regretfully as the Daughter of Juno stood and followed Octavian in to a more secluded part of the building.

"You seem…distracted tonight Legatus, anything wrong?"

Carynn was no fool; Octavian never asked anything out of geniune concern. He wanted something, or wanted to _know_ something from her that his teddy bear fluff guts weren't telling him. "No, nothing amiss Augurie but I thank you for your concern." Carynn's voice was laced with sicky, sweet venom.

Ocatvian looked at her skeptically, his face clearly saying, _Do you think I'm an idiot Aurum? I see all!_ But instead he smiled and nodded. "Good, wouldn't want Juno's one and _only_ demigod getting…hurt would we? It'd be _such_ a loss to the legion." He turned his back and started to make his way towards the couches once more. "That is of course, if you _are_ truly the _only_ one." Without looking back once he disappeared into the crowd of campers.

Carynn clenched her fists before raising her right arm. She tucked in her middle and index fingers, crossing them over with her thumb so that her left hand looked like a set of horns. She aimed her gesture towards where Octavian had stood moments before. It wa rumored that using your left hand to make the horns, would make the curse all the more stronger. Carynn sure hoped so; she really, _really_ hated that guy!


End file.
